Work-box



(ModeL) J. W. HOFFMAN.

WORK BOX.

No. 349,096. Patented Sept. 14, 1886.

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WITNESSES v MENTOR W MW ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN V. HOFFMAN, OF CRESTON, OHIO.

WORK-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.349.096, dated September 14, 1886.

Applicaiion filed March 14, 1885. Serial No. 158,042. (Modeh) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN XV. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oreston, in the county Wayne and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread and XVork Box, to be called Novelty Thread and Vork Box, of which the following is a description.

My invention is an improvement in workboxes; and it consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improvement secured to a support. Fig. 2 is a perspective View, of the box, the lid being raised and parts broken out. Fig. Sis a detail perspective view of the tray; Fig. 4, a detail view of the clamp. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the lid-clamp; Fig. 6, a

detailview of the thread-cutter; and Fig. 7, a

detail View of a portion of the spool-support, all of which will be described.

The box Ais provided with a lid, B, hinged at one edge, and provided at its opposite edge with a latch-plate, C. One end of the plate 0 is passed through and secured to the lid, and its other end'is fitted to engage a pin, 0, on the box, by which construction the lid may be easily secured and released. Through the front of the box I form thread-passages D, and

adjacent these passages I secure the cutters E,

one in close proximity to each of the passages. These cutters E are formed of plates of metal having openings 6, to receive a tag or card to indicate the number or otherwise the quality of the thread drawn through the adjacent passage. I provide these cutters with an edge, F, and a binding portion, f, located between the said edge and the passage B, by which means the free end of the thread is held, as shown in Fig. 2. By this construction, which simply presses toward the box and on the thread, I secure the latter, so it cannot slip back into the box, and the several threads present a better appearance than if loose.

\Vithin the boxI secure the spool-support G, formed of a strand of wire bent at intervals, forming the spool-spindles II, and the connection I. These connections rest on the bottom of the box, and are secured thereto by staples i, or other suitable expedients. I prefor to bend the spool-support so that its end wings will be at angles to its main wing, as will be understood from Fig. 2, in order that the holder will be self-supporting in the desired position, and also in order that it may more efficiently support the tray J, which rests thereon. The spindles H are formed with arms 71, which converge toward their upper ends at which theyjoin, and such arms have a tension apart when compressed. By this tension the spools are held from revolving, except by the positive draft on the end of thread, and the loosening and consequent entanglement of threads in the box is prevented. As the spools are revolved on the spindles, which latter have a stronger tension at their lower than their upper ends, they (the spools) naturally have a tendency to rise, which is overcome by a stop placed above and in close proximity to the spindles. This stop is in the present instance the tray J, which is fitted into the top of the box and rests on the spindles. This tray is adapted to support scissors, knittingneedles, and the like, and may have a pineushion and a thimble-socket, as shown. The

tray also may form a convenient receptacle for various articles used in sewing and fancy work.

To secure the box to a table,sewing-machine, or other suitable support, I provide the clamps K, having an arm, 7:, journaled in the box, an arm, k, projected at right angles from the outer end of arm k, an arm, is", depending from the end of arm 7.:, and an arm, 7t, projected inwardly from the lower end of the depending arm 7.5, and adapted to bind against the under edge of a table and secure the box thereto.

By means of the lateral or crank arm 7;, when the box is removed from the table, the clamp adjusts flat against the under side of the box, and presents practically no obstruction. This adj nstment against the bottom of the box is secured by the free extremity of arm k hearing against the bottom of the box at a point eccentric to the journal of arm 7:.

\Vhat I claim as new is 1.v The combination of the support, a strand of wire secured to the supportand bent at intervals, forming a series of double-armed spindles, and connections extended between nections to the support, said connections be ing movable through the fastenings, whereby the spindles may expand and contract, substantially as set forth.

2. In a work-box, the combination, with the casing having spool-supports and thread-passages, of a number of thread-cutters, one adjacent each of said passages, and having openings to receive tags, whereby to indicate the quality of thread carried through the adjacent passage, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein-described WOL'k-bOX, com prising the box or easing having thread-passages, spool-supports secured in said box, a tray fitted reniovably in the box above the spool-supports, and cutters secured to the box, one adjacent each thread-passage, said cutters being I provided with tag-openings and having a por- 

